The past seven days

Saturday, March 30, 2013

The Conjuring too scary for PG-13?

Apparently the MPAA thought so.

Director James Wan revealed at WonderCon during a panel for his upcoming film The Conjuring that he shot the film to be PG-13 like Insidious was. However, when the film was screened for the MPAA they deemed it "just too scary for PG-13" and slapped the film with an R-rating. Bear in mind this movie received this reaction without any gore and the MPAA didn't cite any scenes that could be removed to lower the rating down to PG-13.
Audiences at WonderCon were also screened footage from the film and the reactions have all been positive so far. There were also real victims and paranormal investigators from the original event present for the screenings and the panel.

I'm pretty excited for The Conjuring and seeing that this received such a rating for simply being too scary... I say bring it on.


The Conjuring stars Lili Taylor, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, and Mackenzie Foy. It is set for release on July 19, 2013.

First teaser for True Blood Season 6

Meh.


Friday, March 29, 2013

True Blood Season 6 gets a premiere date

The sixth season of True Blood has an official release date! The vampires, fairies, werewolves, shape shifters, and whoever the fuck else will be back on HBO on Sunday, June 16th. This will mark the first season of the show without Alan Ball and it is also the first season to only have 10 episodes. The previous 5 seasons have all had 12 episodes.


I personally am growing tired of True Blood. The plot lines and characters are ridiculous at this point and I honestly don't even care anymore. The show has pretty much been shit since Season 3, but I have kept watching in hopes that something good will happen again. So far my wish hasn't come true. If Season 6 is just as bad I think I might quit watching. I've grown weary.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

You're Next trailer premieres

Is it just me or does this look like The Strangers only with a whole family instead of a couple?


Judy Greer joins Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Judy Greer (Archer, Arrested Development) has joined the cast of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. The catch? She has landed the role of the lead female ape named Cornelia. Yes, that means she will be doing some motion capture work with Andy Serkis.

Other cast members include Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Jason Clarke. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is set for release on May 23, 2014.

First poster for Zombieland TV show

I think I will pass on this one, tbh.


Sunday, March 24, 2013

Ryan Reynolds might return for Justice League

Yeah...

"I don't know. If you're gonna do comic book movies [as big as Justice League], you really have to get them right. I believe that Joss Whedon is the guy that just nails it and Christopher Nolan obviously nails it. So if they were gonna do it like that, it would be an interesting thing to do.
It's just that... working on Green Lantern, I saw how difficult it is make that concept palatable, and how confused it all can be when you don't really know exactly where you're going with it or you don't really know how to access that world properly – that world comic book fans have been accessing for decades and falling in love with.
So at this point I have very little interest in joining that kind of world. But, you know, a great script and a good director can always turn that around."

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Friday, March 22, 2013

[Random] Neil Gaiman returning to Marvel

Neil Gaiman (The Graveyard Book, American Gods) is returning to Marvel Comics to co-write 5 issues of Guardians of the Galaxy. Gaiman and Todd McFarlane's character Angela is set to join the Guardians for these five issues. Gaiman is co-writing these issues with Brian Bendis, a quite famous writer/artist for Marvel Comics, Image Comics, and Calber Comics.

There is no word on whether Gaiman will continue after the five issues. Angela originally appeared in Spawn #9 and could very well continue in the Marvel Universe.

Robert Redford in talks for Captain America sequel

Robert Redford is in talks to join Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The rumored role is a senior leadership member of S.H.I.E.L.D. Kevin Feige has described The Winter Soldier as more of a political thriller, so Redford is actually a pretty good grab if he secures a role. This also opens up the possibility of him showing up in future Marvel films for the end of Phase 2 and for Phase 3.

Others confirmed for Captain America: The Winter Soldier are Chris Evans, Emily VanCamp (Revenge), Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter), and Frank Grillo (End of Watch, Warrior). The film is slated to begin filming very soon and is scheduled for release on April 4, 2014.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Jude Law and Lynne Ramsay drop Jane Got a Gun

This movie has taken quite a hit in the past couple weeks. News broke today that with the exit of director Lynne Ramsay for the upcoming film Jane Got a Gun, Jude Law has also taken his leave along with her. Ramsay dropped the film by not showing up for the first day of filming.

Ramsay has since been replaced by Gavin O'Connor (Warrior, The Americans), but there is no replacement for Law just yet. We will see how this one works out. It's kind of a hot mess right now.

Vacation has its new Griswolds

Meet the "new" Griswolds. Playing the parents in the upcoming Vacation reboot will be Ed Helms (The Hangover) and Christina Applegate (Married with Children).

The new Vacation will feature Rusty taking his family on a vacation to Wally World. Applegate is playing Rusty's wife who is described as strong-willed and tired of her husband.
I have no doubt Beverly D'Angelo and Chevy Chase will make cameos, but it isn't confirmed.

It will probably be slow on here for a bit

Truth is... I bought a new puppy and they require constant attention. I'm currently on about 4.5 to 5 hours sleep. Plus side is he's super cute.

So yeah... I will post when and what I can and be back full force as soon as I can.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

American Horror Story gets its new name

Season 3 of FX's drama American Horror Story has its official name which also hints at the theme. Season 3 will now be known as American Horror Story: Coven. We know this season will be female centered which leads even more to hint that this season will be about witches. However, there is no word on exactly what time frame this will take place in.

So far we have casting confirmations for Kathy Bates along with show veterans Jessica Lange, Frances Conroy, Taissa Farmiga, Lily Rabe, Sarah Paulson, and Evan Peters.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Dave Bautista to star in Guardians of the Galaxy

Dave Bautista (The Man with the Iron Fists) has reportedly secured the role of Drax the Destroyer for Guardians of the Galaxy. Previous contenders for the role included Jason Momoa (Conan the Barbarian), Isaiah Mustafa (the guy in the Old Spice commercials), and Brian Patrick Wade (Generation Kill).

Dave "The Animal" Bautista is a former pro-wrestler who was in the WWF (currently the WWE) and currently holds Tag Team championships and World Heavyweight championships have won his first at Wrestlemania 21. Bautista is also set to star opposite Vin Diesel in Riddick later this year.


If you don't know anything about Drax the Destroyer, here you go:

Arthur Douglas, a human whose family was killed by Thanos, has his spirit taken by Kronos and placed into a new body creating Drax the Destroyer. Drax's powers include enhanced strength and resilience as well as the ability to project energy blasts from his hands. He was often pit against Thanos, obviously, and was also a member of the Infinity Watch.
Aside from that, Drax's daughter was adopted by Thanos' father and raised on Titan. She eventually became Moondragon, the telepathic martial artist and geneticist.



Colin Trevorrow to direct Jurassic Park 4

Colin Trevorrow (Safety Not Guaranteed) has been tapped to helm the upcoming film Jurassic Park 4. Trevorrow was previously in the running to direct Star Wars Episode VII, but the job eventually went to J.J. Abrams.

There is no release date set or anything, but the pre-production for Jurassic Park 4 has officially begun.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Jude Law joins Jane Got a Gun; Fassbender out

There have been a couple shifts for Lynne Ramsay's Western-drama Jane Got a Gun starring Natalie Portman. Originally the movie was supposed to star Michael Fassbender and Portman, but Fassbender was forced to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. He has been replaced by Joel Edgington (Warrior, Zero Dark Thirty) who was originally set to play the villain role. He has shifted to the good side leaving the villain role open. News broke today that Jude Law (Contagion, Sherlock Holmes) has joined the project and will fill the villain vacancy.
This marks the fourth collaboration between Portman and Law. The two previously starred together in Cold Mountain, My Blueberry Nights, and Closer

The basic plot we have for Jane Got a Gun is:
"A woman (Portman) whose outlaw husband returns home riddled with bullet wounds and barely alive. When her husband’s gang (led by Law) eventually tracks him down to finish the job, she is forced to reach out to an ex-lover (Edgerton) and ask if he will help defend her farm."

 Filming is set to start in early April in New Mexico which conflicted with Fassbender's commitments to begin filming for X-Men: Days of Future Past.
Joel Edgerton just finished publicity for Zero Dark Thirty and is about to start again for The Great Gatsby. Jude Law recently starred in Side Effects and just wrapped filming on The Grand Budapest Hotel. Natalie Portman was in the UK shooting for Thor: The Dark World earlier this year and recently wrapped Knight of Cups and an untitled Terrance Malick project.

Lots of busy bees for this one.


Emma Watson turns down role for Cinderella

I guess she's tired of being stereotyped in the kids category.

Emma Watson (Harry Potter series, The Perks of Being a Wallflower) has reportedly turned down the lead role in Kenneth Branagh's upcoming live-action reboot of Cinderella. The only actress confirmed for the movie so far is Cate Blanchett who will star as the Evil Stepmother. She stayed with the project after the studio dumped director Mark Romanek for Branagh.


Oh well. How many live-action versions of classic Disney cartoons do we really need?

The Great Gatsby will open Cannes 2013

This has been a pretty slow week so far, but we got word today that The Great Gatsby, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan, will open the 2013 Cannes Film Festival in France. Gatsby was one of many victims of schedule changes by the studios and was originally set to be released on Christmas last year. The film was delayed until May 10, 2013.

This is a bit of an odd move seeing that the release date is 5 days before Cannes even starts, so it kind of defeats the purpose of "premiering" a film to open the festival. This will mark the second film directed by Baz Luhrmann to open Cannes and the third to be screened. In 1992 his film Strictly Ballroom was screened and in 2001 Moulin Rouge opened the festival.

Friday, March 8, 2013

Teaser for The Hangover Part III finally surfaces

I feel like I should be excited... but I'm not.



Don't get me wrong, I loved the first Hangover movie. It was hilarious. I just hated The Hangover Part II so much. It was a carbon copy of the first one only in a different location. I am hoping this one will be different, but I am not expecting too much.

Catching Fire posters for Peeta and Gail

Peeta kind of looks like an astronaut.


Thursday, March 7, 2013

Gil Kenan will direct Poltergeist remake

We all knew MGM was remaking Poltergeist and previously the rumor was that Sam Raimi (Evil Dead, Spiderman) was going to direct the attempt. Deadline confirmed that isn't the case although Raimi is producing. Instead we will have Gil Kenan (Monster House) directing the remake of one of the most classic horror films. Kenan is still fairly new as his credits only include Monster House, in which he earned an Oscar nomination, and City of Ember.
So far the writing credits for Poltergeist include Scott Derrickson (Sinister), David Lindsay-Abaire (Oz: The Great and Powerful), Juliet Snowden (The Possession), Stiles White (Boogeyman), and Paul Harris Boardman (The Exorcism of Emily Rose). That is quite the list.

I personally have never been a huge Poltergeist fan so this remake actually doesn't bother me so much. I also enjoyed Monster House, so it will be interesting to see what elements Kenan will bring.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Catching Fire posters for Johanna and Beetee released

These character posters are amazing. Just saying.






Keri Russell cast in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

I like the way this cast is going.

Keri Russell, who is currently starring in the FX show The Americans, has joined the cast of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. The role she has secured is unspecified right now, but it is most likely a human female lead. This will be Russell's second collaboration with director Matt Reeves. She was previously on the TV-show Felicity which Reeves created.

Recent additions to the cast include Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, and Kodi Smit-McPhee.

Sam Mendes will not direct Bond 24

Despite being offered the opportunity to direct the next 007 movie after the success of Skyfall, director Sam Mendes has officially passed on the project citing other commitments as the reason. Mendes has two projects he is claiming he needs to focus on and doesn't have the time to take on Bond 24 as a third project.

There currently is no plot or anyone else in place other than Daniel Craig for Bond 24, so it is a bit difficult to make any predictions now. I personally was hoping Sam Mendes would come back because I loved Skyfall, but life moves on.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

New Catching Fire posters for Katniss, Cinna, Haymitch!

I love this.




Joss Whedon shoots down Planet Hulk rumors

Joss Whedon, the director of The Avengers, was asked about the rumored "Planet Hulk" story arc involvement for a future Hulk movie. In an interview with IGN this is pretty much what he had to say:
"Well, I'm really not supposed to comment, but no, that's nonsense."

So that pretty much shoots my entire prediction for the future of the Hulk right in the damn foot. Thank you, Joss. I'm going to go cry in a corner now... that is until we find out he was just lying to prevent any spoilers about future story arcs. =^D

Monday, March 4, 2013

First look at Elizabeth Banks in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Ladies and gentlemen... Effie is back!


Monday news for X-Men; Halle Berry confirmed to return

Couple things for X-Men: Days of Future Past today.

1. Halle Berry has been officially confirmed to return to reprise the role of Storm. It was rumored before but now it's official. This also adds to the speculation of which role Omar Sy will be playing. The guess is he will play Bishop who is pretty closely tied with Storm. There is no telling how much screentime Storm will have or in what situation she is returning at this time.

2. Jennifer Lawrence doesn't have to worry about being painted blue from head to toe this time around. It was revealed that Mystique's look will be a body suit this time around. The suit will cover Lawrence's body from the neck down. The change is evidently due to the time it took to apply the makeup to Lawrence (8 hours a day) and also the fact that she broke out in rashes and boils due to the makeup.


So yeah... Storm is returning and Mystique will be a suit.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Christopher Nolan rumored to have "taken over" the DC Universe

There are a couple highlights to this topic. First of all, this is all rumor as of right now so don't take anything seriously.

The rumor is that Christopher Nolan has pretty much taken over the DC Universe when it comes to the movies. He already has had his own Batman trilogy and is a producer for the upcoming Superman movie, Man of Steel, which is directed by Zack Snyder. With this power it has apparently been said that Nolan could and probably will be producing the Justice League movie. Also speaking of Snyder, it is also rumored that due to Nolan's involvement that Snyder is first in line to direct.
What else? To add the cherry on top of all this they are supposedly trying to get Christian Bale to return to play Batman for Justice League and join Henry Cavill who will return as Superman.


Alright... I just want to say that I do love what Nolan did with Batman, but making his style the only path for any future DC movies is foolish. The whole "dark and gritty realism" approach isn't possible for every superhero. It worked for Batman simply because despite being a comic book hero, Batman has no super powers. He is nothing but a rich guy with a bunch of cool gadgets and a taste for justice. There are genuine super powers at play with the other Justice League characters and the realism approach would not get the job done. Of course we all have to wait until Man of Steel comes out to really see for sure, but even that wouldn't really be the true test because it is still centered around one main character. 
As far as Zack Snyder goes I think Man of Steel will be the true testament to his abilities. I liked 300 for what it was worth (meaning the visuals and a couple quotable lines) and I liked Watchmen for the most part, but he fell flat on his face with Sucker Punch. Holy crap, that movie was terrible. The guy can't write for shit and he relies on CGI to get him through every single movie. I appreciate visual directors but there comes a point where it gets ridiculous. As far as I understand Man of Steel is no different in regards to the VFX as I read the other day that Superman's cape is CGI throughout most of the movie. I let out a big sigh, shook my head, and moved on with my day.
The whole bringing Bale back as Batman scenario is ridiculous, as well. Not only has Christian Bale said himself that he is done with Batman, but I think stretching him into yet another movie would be too much especially after the somewhat so-so reviews and reception of The Dark Knight Rises. Not saying it was a bad movie, but there were a lot of people out there that didn't like it as much as they were expecting or only said it was good simply because they loved The Dark Knight so much and felt like they had to say they liked Rises just as much. Not to mention the fact that if they tied Justice League into the previous Batman storyline there would be a lot of explaining to do with the way The Dark Knight Rises ended. Just saying.
Like I said, I loved Nolan's trilogy but there were things about Bale's performance that I never really liked too much. It must be said that if he does return to do Batman at least once more I don't think I can take another movie with that ridiculous batman voice. It's like listening to a heavy metal song with just vocals. I think Christian Bale wants to move on with his career and do more than just Batman movies and they should let him. Do what DC has done since Batman appeared on screen... re-cast him every couple of movies. Plus, if they bring him back it won't just be for one movie. It would probably be a multi-movie deal and I don't think Bale would be up for 2-3 more Batman jobs.

Now there is another possible way this could go and it is being predicted by some. It is possible that there could be a movie based on World's Finest (aka, a movie with just Batman and Superman) before the full Justice League movie. This is a stupid idea due to what I mentioned earlier; the way The Dark Knight Rises ended would have to either be completely flipped upside down or they would have to find a way to make Bruce have the change of heart to return. It just makes no sense. To have it happen would ruin a lot of things.



Either way this gets spun it's just more evidence that Warner Bros. sucks at this whole comic book thing. They are running around like chickens with their heads cut off. They are trying to compete with Marvel and they don't know how to mimic the success because, let's face it, DC characters and story arcs are not as good as Marvel's are. It is impossible to create the same type of thing with another catalog. As it stands Justice League is depending on the success of Man of Steel anyway, so we will have to wait and see. If Man of Steel is as good as some people are saying it is then we might actually have to witness this happen. They just need to stop while they are behind, imo.

Sinister - Review

Sinister tells the story of a true crime novelist who is trying to revive his career by moving into a house where a horrific crime took place. In his pursuit of the truth, for the sake of his book, he uncovers secrets and legends that not only uncover why the crime took place but also puts his family in danger.


I had intended to see Sinister when it was in theaters, but I never really got around to it. When I heard it was going to be on DVD I immediately added it to my rental queue and I am happy to say this was not a wasted rental. I really enjoyed Sinister. I thought the plot was great, the imagery and cinematography was beautiful and haunting, and the acting really wasn't too shabby. There were things I didn't quite get but overall I was happy.

Starting off with what I did like is the plot. Without giving too much away I thought it was well executed. Portraying Ethan Hawke to be this novelist who is dragging his family from place to place trying to recreate previous success he had was a good setup. He lies to his family and doesn't tell them they are moving into a house where a family was murdered and the secrecy adds to his stress and nervousness when he begins to discover evidence and information about the crime scene. I loved it.
I also loved the imagery. I thought the home movies, or found-footage, that were in the attic were very creepy looking but it was one of those can't look away scenarios. Each one started with normal, family footage and ended with something terrible which was great. The movies were old fashioned, grainy, and had a very eerie vibe to them. Kudos to the cinematography, for sure.

Some stuff I didn't like mostly lies with the sound and what I thought was an overuse of music. This mostly has to do with the home movies. Each movie had a different tune to them and while they were creepy little tunes I felt they were a bit unnecessary. I think the movies would have been more effective and creepier if they were played in silence only with the noise of the film projector and the outside noise of the house. That is how I would have done it.
It also fell victim to my main gripe with current horror films which is the overuse of jump scares and loud, sudden sound cues. I hate this with a passion and it's not because I fall for them. I never fall for them but I find them annoying and the only reason people are getting scared is because they get the adrenaline rush when they are startled. They aren't scared by the actual material and that is where horror is failing right now. People need to start relying on the material and not on sound and visual tricks. I thought the movie itself was creepy enough to stick with the audience, but apparently they didn't.
It also was hard for me to take Beguul (aka, Mr. Boogie) seriously due to the fact that he looks like a member of Slipknot, but that isn't anything major.

Apart from that I do want to reiterate that I did like Sinister despite the faults. Oddly enough I think the faults showed that they were insecure of the film and didn't think it was scary enough on its own. It also adds elements of two different genres that meshed quite well. At times I couldn't decide whether I was watching a crime thriller or a horror movie. That added to the overall suspense, though. Not a bad movie. Probably one of the better horror movies I have seen in recent years.

End of Watch - Review

End of Watch is a documentary-style movie that follows two young LAPD cops in the Newton Division during their daily patrols. After highly recognized heroism the partners accidentally stumble upon a large drug cartel run by the area gang members and get caught with the consequences.


I had heard about End of Watch mostly when all the award nominations were rolling out because there were a lot of people who went out there and were making claims that End of Watch got stiffed. I had previously seen set photos featuring Jake Gyllenhaal as a police officer but that was the most I ever saw. I don't even think I saw a trailer until December. The way it starts is set up as a film project for Gyllenhaal's character who is taking a filmmaking class. His partner, played by Michael Pena, goes along with it and it mostly just follows them on daily patrols. The opening scene shows them following a car on a chase throughout the division area and ending in a shootout which they obviously won. I will say that I am glad I gave this movie a chance.

First of all, I thought it did a good job of representing the danger of the area of South-Central Los Angeles as well as the danger of being a police officer there. There was a line that Gyllenhaal delivers during the movie where he says something like Newton Division officer draw their weapons more in a day than most police officers do in their entire careers. I have no problem believing that as I've been to LA several times. I also loved how they made it seem like it was truly a film project from the one officer. Sure, there were shots that obviously couldn't have been filmed from either of them but that is because it is a real movie and not an amateur project. It did make it seem more like the latter, though. I loved that. Going along with that the way they split up Gyllenhaal's work footage and personal footage with his girlfriend, played by Anna Kendrick, was also good.
As far as acting goes I thought this was fantastically acted. Both Gyllenhaal and Pena had great chemistry and the way they conveyed the preparation they did prior to filming was real. You could tell they actually learned how police officers do their jobs and did the research. I even thought the supporting characters were great and that includes Anna Kendrick and Natalie Martinez who played the officer's significant others. Even the other officers were great.
Aside from that I thought even the plot was pretty well done. It wasn't anything spectacular but given the type of movie this was it worked.

My only real complaint is the language. Like, I am not offended by cursing or anything like that but there does come a time when it is just overused. It got to a point where it was just distracting for me to hear the word "fuck" used at least twice in every sentence. 

I don't want to give too much away because the end of the movie really takes you by surprise and the intensity level is really high, but I will say this... everything unfolds very suddenly and kind of slaps you in the face with it. It is well played out and it does really take a toll on you as a viewer. I'm not ashamed to say I cried like crazy at the end. Take this how you want to before watching this movie: "In law enforcement, 'end of watch' has two meanings; it commonly refers to time to go off duty at the end of shift/watch. Also, if an officer is killed in the line of duty, the date of his death is referred to as his end of watch."


Easily an 8 out of 10 for me, personally. I really liked it. 

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Insidious 2 delayed until September

These delays and schedule shifts are killing me. It's starting to get ridiculous.

Insidious 2 was originally set to be released in August 30, 2013 but it will now be released on September 20, 2013... well, I guess I should say "supposed to be released on." For all we know they could decide to delay this until 2014 at the last minute.
Apparently they are citing the fact that James Wan is still busy trying to complete The Conjuring which is set for a July 2013 release, I believe.

Insidious 2 is still in production and currently filming in Los Angeles. Returning actors for the sequel include Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins, Lin Shaye, and Barbara Hershey.

Omar Sy joins X-Men: Days of Future Past

Omar Sy (The Intouchables) has joined the cast of X-Men in an unspecified role. Rumors are already circulating, of course, about which role Sy has been cast in. Some suggest he will play Bishop, the son of Aborigine mutant refugees with a distinctive "M" brand on their foreheads. Bishop also was present in the Days of Future Past comic arc and was intertwined with Storm. Since Halle Berry has pretty much been mentioned as returning as Storm it is plausible that Bishop will be a part of the movie.

The French born actor has a pretty extensive resume but a majority of his work is in French film and television. I haven't ever seen or heard of him before, so it's always nice to have a fresh face.


Friday, March 1, 2013

Panorama Media joins Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Panorama Media has joined Handsomecharlie, and Darko Entertainment in the ever failing and indefinitely stalled Pride and Prejudice and Zombies adaptation. They have already blown through three directors and numerous actresses who have passed on the lead role. Producer Allison Shearmur is still determined to make this movie despite the setbacks and the inability to cast any actors or keep a director.

Sometimes books just aren't meant to be movies.